Ryan Wilson

Professor Keefe
Effective speaking
12 October 2015
Malala Speech Critique

The rubric I am using to critique Malala Yousafzais speech presented in

front of the United Nations in 2013, consists of three different categories
relevant to this speech. The three categories are; Message/Content/Audience
Analysis, Voice, and Non Verbals / Appearance / Physical Presence. Malala,
while standing up for what she believed in (the education of people in her
country) was shot in the face by a Taliban member. Luckily she survived her
drastic wounds and at the tender age of sixteen was able to stand up in front
of the United Nations and speak on education of people of her people
(especially women). Given the circumstances I believe she did better than
many sixteen year old children would have if put in her position.
The first category Ill be discussing is the Message/Content/Audience
Analysis section of the rubric. Malala despite her age seemed to have a
pretty good vocabulary that fit the intelligence of the audience. She used a
very sophisticated vocab. Her speech was logically written to entice her
audience by telling her hellish story first to draw their attention through
personal experience and pity. Her conclusion was also well orchestrated
wrapping up her points while leaving a lasting impact. Overall her message
was clear and creative while also being sophisticated. The audience
responded well to her touching words yet almost seemed to interrupt her on
multiple occasions with their applause. A few people coughed but the main
problem was people clapping when she paused too long during nervousness.

Ryan Wilson
Professor Keefe
Effective speaking
12 October 2015

The audience applauded when they werent supposed to most likely

because Malala took pauses that were longer than they needed to be. This is
probably because she was nervous being only sixteen speaking in front of
large crowd of important influential national representatives. Pauses, are
under the category of voice on the rubric, so is the volume in which the
speaker uses. Malala again seemed nervous because she was quite.
Although she used slim to no clutter words she did stumble over a couple
words it was more because of her accent rather being nervous yet it was
definitely noticeable when she stumbled a couple times.
Another noticeable thing during Malalas speech was she was reading
from her paper a lot. This is under the Non Verbals / Appearance / Physical
Presence section of the rubric. Her speech was long and needed to be very
professional so this is understandable. Her eye contact with the audience
wasnt the greatest but this may be due to her heritage where women are
not to look men directly in the eye. She also made no gestures other than
grabbing her dress at one point. Gestures may have helped her be more
entertaining because she stood frozen in place for the entire speech. Her
apparel was appropriate and resembled her culture well. She was wearing a
pink dress and scarf. The dress was from her homeland and has a special
name that I do not recall.
So in conclusion she seemed rather nervous but the speech was written
professionally. Her delivery improved as she became more comfortable but

Ryan Wilson
Professor Keefe
Effective speaking
12 October 2015

she still stumbled over a few words didnt use any gestures and couldnt
keep eye contact. All in all she got her point across in a professional matter
but wasnt confident/loud enough with her voice and used no gestures.

Ryan Wilson
Professor Keefe
Effective speaking
12 October 2015

Four score and seven years ago our fathers

brought forth on this continent a new nation,
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war,

testing whether that nation, or any nation so
conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
We are met on a great battlefield of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that
field, as a final resting place for those who
here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this.

Ryan Wilson
Professor Keefe
Effective speaking
12 October 2015

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate,

we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this
ground. The brave men, living and dead, who
struggled here, have consecrated it, far above
our poor power to add or detract. The world
will little note, nor long remember what we
say here, but it can never forget what they did
here. It is for us the living, rather, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far so nobly
advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before
usthat from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which
they gave the last full measure of devotion
that we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vainthat this nation,
under God, shall have a new birth of freedom
and that government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth.